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The berry harvest has started in earnest here on the Central Coast, and some distributors and buyers are asking producers for evidence of a third-party food safety audit. Some are even beginning to ask their suppliers if they are in compliance with the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule.

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Food safety continues to be a hot topic for consumers and producers alike. The passing of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and recent release of the proposed FSMA rules by the FDA raise important questions to CCOF members. While FSMA provides a structure for a new system of food safety verification, the entrance of the federal government into the fray has created additional questions about how the program will be implemented.

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Food Safety Certification for Your Organic Operation

Many farmers and processors are already being asked to be certified to food safety standards by buyers. We at CCOF have heard loud and clear from our producer members that you want to comply with the requirements of FSMA but are concerned about the cost, time, and paperwork burden of dealing with another certification program or organization.

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Food safety continues to be a hot topic for consumers and producers alike. The passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and recent release of the proposed FSMA rules by the FDA raise important questions to CCOF members. While FSMA provides a structure for a new system of food safety verification, the entrance of the federal government into the fray has created additional questions about how the program will be implemented.

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Our efforts to reduce paperwork, simplify certification, and provide benefits to our members continue in 2014! We are pleased to present three important new tools built to meet your needs: our new online Materials Search, expansion of MyCCOF: Supplier Management, and field-level food safety certification.

MyCCOF: Materials Search – Viva La Revolution!

The CCOF materials revolution continues in January 2014 with a bold new offering free for all CCOF certified members.

On Monday, produce growers from across Northern California gathered in Sacramento for a workshop on on-farm food safety.

Taught by Atina Diffley—organic farmer and author of the book Turn Here Sweet Corn: Organic Farming Works—workshop participants put together action plans to address food safety on their individual operations. In building their plans, growers considered market needs, as well as the new federal food safety regulations.

CCOF has joined the Food Quality Alliance (FQA) as its designated provider of organic certification services. The Food Quality Alliance is a consortium of industry-leading providers of food certification, testing, consulting, and educational services, and our participation in the group comes with a host of benefits for our members.

For those of you who haven’t yet had the chance to comment on the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) that is currently being developed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you now have a little more time! Today, the FDA extended the public comment period from September 16 to a final deadline of November 15.

On Friday, November 13, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published the final Produce Safety Rule of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The Produce Safety Rule establishes food safety standards for produce farms in the United States.

Will the Produce Safety Rule impact my operation?

The Produce Safety Rule includes requirements that address water quality, employee health and hygiene, wild and domesticated animals, manure and compost application, equipment, and buildings.